Or, is your faith kind of lackluster? A faith that feels dry and mundane?

It's not supposed to be that way. Now, I'm not talking about feelings for feelings can be affected by all sorts things (food, drink, weather, sickness, other people). I'm talking about seeing God above our lives and permeating all aspects of our lives.

If you don't have that here's something you can do:

"Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them." Psalm 111:2

If delight can bring forth study, the reverse is true also -- study can bring delight.

Start looking up. Psalm 19:1-2 says, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And they expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge."

Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."

So what we dwell on is what we begin to resemble. If I'm constantly filled with worry, I will become a big ball of stress. If I think and dwell and watch TV shows filled with lust and murder and deviant behavior, that's going to affect me. If I read books and magazines lifting up anti-godly values then that too will affect me negatively.

Our brains are sensitive organs. They are flexible. They change. They adapt to the information given them. We train them to become what we want them to become.

I've been writing down memories. Some of them haven't been pleasant to write and have even affected me negatively. This is because I'm still remembering them as I felt them when they happened. What I need to do is remember them from the perspective of who I am now, the perspective of a woman who believes in Christ Jesus and who has seen Him transform life. He can do that to memories too. He can help us see them with new eyes so we can see the humor and the compassion and the misunderstandings that possibly resulted in us being hurt back then (not always but sometimes).

Like this silly memory -- my hair was cut in third grade and I hated it. I thought I looked like a boy and I had always wanted long beautiful hair and so at the time I was ashamed. That was 8-year-old Jane's perspective. But if I look back on this memory and look at pictures, I realize I looked adorable. That little shag haircut emphasized a cute little face. And that's probably what all the adults in my life saw. And other kids -- well, kids are kids. They probably didn't care one way or another if I even had hair. I can choose to remember the shame I felt or I can choose to remember the memory as I see it now and smile.

We can study life today and see God -- in our surroundings, in nature, in other people's lives; in our lives and even in our memories. And if you have children, your children are watching how you live, how you choose to spend your days; where your focus is. Are they learning to worry? Or are they learning to worship?

The poem I posted came to my mind this morning. It is a very familiar poem. It's truth is so right on. It has been used on posters and pictures because people sense the rightness of it. It reminds us from what matters -- and I'd say not just the life of a child but the life of anyone. The world will be a better place if we've had an impact on a person.

The reason it came to mind, though, is because as I was thinking about a few bills I need to pay and how to go about doing it, I realize it won't matter in as little as a week. It will get paid on time or it won't, but it will get paid eventually. Life doesn't end when we have to pay late fees. For all the time we stress about little things like money or work, life continues on and it continues on in blessings and joys and God's peace and adventures.

Sometimes I think we people wonder why God doesn't do more of those big miracles like feeding 5000+ people with a few loaves and a couple fish. We even naively think if people who hadn't yet committed to God saw medical miracles, providential miracles, flashy miracles that can't be ignored; they'd accept Christ and be saved. But we people are fickle. We are blessed with a huge blessing and then we start wishing for something else. We are given a great gift and we often find reason to be discontent with it. We explain away an outpouring of God's power -- all of this is done to justify us living for ourselves.

What really affects us is the inner workings, the kindness of God; the kindness of strangers; the love expressed by those in our lives -- those people who know us and still love us!

We are not of this world.

What we stress about, if we really examine it, is plain silly and distracting. We stress about things that will resolve themselves in some way within a week or two. Even if it is a long-standing challenge that takes months to work itself out wasting our thoughts on it truly is a waste of a precious gift God has given us. I read something lately that one of the most precious gifts God has given us is our brains --- think what they can do. We have imagination and memory -- two brain processes that change our worlds for better or worse.

Let it be for better. Put your mind on the things of God, not on the things of this world. Think about what you have to think about, but then let those thoughts go. Don't dwell on them. Don't stress about them. Don't worry about them. You're more than that. You're here for a reason (and it isn't to worry).

I know as well as anyone that we aren't supposed to worry. Worry is a sin -- seriously. Some people think if you worry that means you are loving someone and maybe that's true, but worry doesn't help them or you.

Presently, I have a son who is a junior at School of Mines who is doing great in so many ways but has some financial issues right now that I really want to fix but can't. I have a married 19 year old daughter who also has financial issues and questions about her future (neither of which I can fix). And my 13 year old daughter is now wearing make-up and developing into a young woman and wants (like most teenage girls) attention from boys. My 15 year old son has physical issues that I cannot fix and my 17 year old son is still the same as he has been for a very long time (that is a story in itself -- oh right, I've talked about him several times).

Help me Jesus!

Today it is all on my brain and I can't get past it. I know you too, if you are a parent, have concerns for your children.

Father God will provide for them and it might not be from you. Father God has our children under His care. And that is what we need to focus on. Pray for them. Love them. Do what you know you need to do and let God do the rest. He will take care of our children. He wants to be God in their lives.

So, my prescription for us all who are concerned for our children is found below:

First, read 2 Corinthians 10:5. It says, "We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,"

This means that when you start to worry, pray, "I take that thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Father God is taking care of my child."

Second, read Philippians 4:6-7. It says, "Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel."

And do what it says -- pray about those concerns. Be thankful. Realize God loves our kids more than we ever can. He understands them better than we ever will be able to; and He knows what is best for them.

And finally, say Philippians 4:13 out loud, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Worry only ties us up in knots. Worry causes health problems. Worry can cause us to do stupid things. Worry is not from God. Let's not allow it to run our lives.

So this morning while I was doing some yoga stretches (don't be too impressed -- this is only my second day but hey, the Word says Don't despise small beginnings) I thought about all the time I've wasted trying to fix things in our lives or doing something I'm not called to do or pursuing something I thought was an answer to whatever problem I was focused on. I'll never get that time back I spent worrying or fretting or stressing.

Never.

Never ever.

I've heard of people who've lost and gained fortunes several times in our lives. We all know of people (probably includes some of us) who gain and lose weight over and over throughout their lives. People gain and lose jobs. People gain and lose stuff.

But you'll never get time back. Why do we fight against God's plan for us? Why do we pursue things that, in our human wisdom, we think is the answer, when the answer is with God all the time?

Part of it is that we are bombarded in the media and lots of other sources to go after this or that -- that this will bring you happiness. This will make your income increase. Just do this and you will get results. Even in popular Christian culture we are told if we take certain steps in prayer we'll get what we want from God. Or, we are told if we just believe more we will get what we want. Or, well-meaning loved ones tell you you ought to do such-and-such.

You know what the problem of all this is -- it is either focused on us, temporary fixes or problems.

God leads us all in different ways. He puts His people in all walks of life. I have a friend who has become so dear to me -- her life is so vastly different than mine. But we both are serving Jesus where He has put us.

I don't know what has caught your eye, what've you've done to fix whatever you see is wrong in your life, but let me tell you a few things I've tried (that usually made things worse). Now when you read this realize I know that some people are serving Jesus in just this way and there's nothing wrong with any of them -- they just weren't God's answer for me at the time:

1. I was talked into becoming a Mary Kay consultant (even though I hate selling things and I don't wear a lot of makeup and I am not one of those put-together glamorous women -- in fact, sometimes I look pretty pathetic).

2. I made and sold baby slings (again I had to sell something). I make nice baby slings but I am pretty sure I never made enough to cover the cost of the supplies.

3. I did daycare. Oh boy, I love kids but I am an entertainer not a daycare provider. This didn't work for us at all.

4. I substitute taught for about six months. I was horrible at it. Again, I am an entertainer not a disciplinarian or a teacher (for me being an entertainer means I have about a good hour of energy and attention of the crowd and then I'm through).

5. I sold goat milk soap and homemade skin cream. I still make goat milk soap (because it is really good stuff) but again, I hate to sell anything. I did this at craft tables which I detested. I hate sitting at those tables. I'd rather do about anything than that. I am pretty sure I created more debt with this too because of buying things I was sure I needed to go with my new soap business.

6. I was a ghost writer. I made some money on this but it wasn't for me whatsoever. My writing voice is too strong. It sounded like me and not the woman who hired me.

7. I was a romance writer! Yes, I wrote a Christian romance even though I am not a romance novel reader (any romance novel I read has to be mainly a historical fiction book that includes a relationship).

I know there's a lot more things I tried and failed at but can't remember right now. Well, you can add my writing career -- sometimes I've made money and I think actually I have made more money than the books I've bought but I've bought plenty of books I thought would definitely give me the secret to success that were a waste of money. This list doesn't even include all the things I looked into for the answer to our situation! I truly have a patient and loving husband!

And of course I learned a lot in all I did and so maybe that time wasn't wasted, but the time I've fretted and stressed and worried just did bad things to my health (and grew our debt).

Jesus knew we'd worry and fret. Matthew 6 is the perfect chapter to read if you are worrying about something right now.

Jesus gives us the solution simply: "Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Father God will take care of us. He truly will. He is so creative -- He created Creativity! Sometimes we think we've figured out how He should provide or take care of a problem in our lives and so when He doesn't work that way we miss His answer.

Don't miss His answer. Let Him work. Don't expect Him to do it the way you want Him to do it. He has a much better way.

​(Also, for those of you who don't know, my husband has a YouTube Channel where I have begun to upload his sermons. They are mainly audio but there are a few pictures with each. The pictures really don't pertain to the messages but they are there so I could use YouTube. This past Sunday my husband spoke on time. If you'd like to listen click here. His channel is called Green Broke Preacher.)

You're doing things the way you're supposed to -- God says don't worry. So you don't. You don't allow worry to cloud your brain. You're handling life as it comes. You thank God for the little things in your life. You can honestly say you're loving those dear ones in your life, even enjoying them. You're making a great effort at choosing wisely and not being stupid.

So then how come there's still an emotional knot in your chest sucking you dry?

Did you know that your brain isn't the only part of you that thinks? Cells throughout the body have their own thoughts in a way.

And they might be betraying you.

Sometimes they know things you don't. Those other parts of you know you better than you know yourself. Maybe they have a line to the subconscious?

I'm not sure but I do know that I had that knot but I didn't know what it was from. I was and am doing that first paragraph, but as I was doing this the knot kept getting heavier and bigger and suckier.

I'm pretty sure God was trying to show me what was going on but it took a two hour car ride and tears leaking out before I knew what it was about. I'm one of those people who feel before I understand why I feel what I feel. Like, I might be feeling angry but have no clue as to what I am angry about. It takes me time to reconcile my feelings with my thoughts. It does happen. And when it does freedom follows or is in the process of taking hold of me. As Jesus says in John 8, "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (okay, a side note here -- that is kind of taking the verse out of context but the power of it is still there and in a roundabout way it is perfectly in context)."

Even though I knew better that rapidly growing knot (or more like a rapidly growing rock) was worry! I know better! I know not to worry. I wasn't with my brain. But some part of me was worrying. If you know what's going on in my life you might think you know what I was worrying about. We are in the process of moving and selling our place and gaining new employment and health insurance -- a whole lot of unknowns.

The amazing thing is that I'n not worried about those unknowns. I know God has called us to Dupree, SD. When God calls us to do something He takes care of us. He makes sure we have what we need to do His work (which includes taking care of our families).

What I was worrying about (and still have to fight) is the choices my adult children will make (or not make). I've realized it is so darn hard to just let them fly off without trying to fly for them. Obviously, flying for them won't work. It will just frustrate them and me. It will hinder their growth and hurt our relationship.

When birds begin to fly they fall. They stumble. It's part of the process. Parent birds know their offspring will fall, and they let them. Parent birds are smart enough to give their offspring space to learn to fly. I need to do the same.

So, how do you know if your body is betraying you? Worrying for you? Ask yourself these questions:

Is your body carrying unnecessary tension?

Does your immune system seem weak?

Are you feeling heavy inside?

Do you have a short fuse or do you feel emotionally spent for no apparent reason?

Are you always tired?

Does everything feel like drudgery?

If you said yes to any of those questions, spend some time in prayer and the Bible. Ask God to reveal any hidden worry you might have. He'll do it. He doesn't want you to carry this kind of thing around. He wants you free.

None of us try to get snagged by thorns. You're walking along minding your own business when you suddenly realize you are stuck. Thorns have grabbed your clothes. Stickers are stuck in your socks. You sure didn't mean for any of it to happen but it did and now you have to get unstuck.

When we know the thorns are present (or the stinging nettle or the burdock) we avoid them. And if we can't avoid them, if we must walk through them, we can prepare ourselves. If we have to work with stinging nettle we wear sturdy gloves and long sleeves. If we know we have to dig up burdock we avoid those burrs that seem to reach out and grab at our clothes and our hair.

It is the ones we aren't aware of that often do the most damage. One simple thorn can tear a hole in an expensive garment. Repair of that garment will take time, expertise and money if we want it done right.

If there is life, there are thorns. It is the way it is. If we know where the thorns are we can be prepared.

We have to make sure they don't tear holes in our faith (later in the same chapter Jesus tells us that it is through steadfastness of our faith that we produce fruit...and in John He says he has called us to produce fruit).

If you find yourself consumed with worry (where I was for a time last night -- I couldn't reach my husband on the phone, my oldest son was driving through storms; my oldest daughter was away; my 15 year old son has a pressure sore that is taking a long time to heal; our future's details are unknown.....mainly I was fearing for my husband's and two oldest children's lives...I know -- I was irrational), look straight up. Ask Jesus to fight for you. Tell those worries to flee. Pray scripture that bolsters your faith. Those worry thorns want to tear into your soul. Don't let them.

And be very careful if you find yourself pursuing riches, pursuing money, pursuing the "good life."

Ask yourself if it is where God is leading you. Is it drawing you closer to Christ or closer to the ways of the world?

Jesus told us in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

He's trying to keep us from trouble. He's trying to protect us.

God leads His children in many ways. There are people everywhere who need to see Jesus. We need God's light in every area of the world. But beware Traveler. There are dangers ahead.

And finally the pleasures of this life -- they are God given. Yet if they are what we live for we've made an idol out of God's gift.

I came across a neat article about thorns written by Herbalist Jim McDonald. You can read it here. I recommend it. It's very interesting and has so much spiritual application.

This may shock you but some people don't embrace God and the Bible because they are under the assumption living for Jesus means following a lot of rules.

Some who refuse Jesus think He's going to stop them from having fun, stop them from really living.

That is a lie.

It is a lie from the pit of hell. Literally.

The reverse is true. Jesus came to give us abundant life and if we choose to Believe no matter what He will give us lives full of purpose, full of unknown, full of "coincidences" (NOT -- no such thing as a coincidence. Often they are divine appointments).

I know this so I should have known better.

Well, I did know better. I just wasn't paying attention.

My youngest son has Cerebral Palsy among other disabilities. He does great in life. He's funny. He's confident. He's doing well in school. He is infuriating at times to his mom, but all in all he is becoming a wonderful young man (he will be 14 this summer). One of the issues with his CP that has cropped up in the last four months or so is that his walking has gotten terrible. His tendons and ligaments and muscles aren't keeping up with the bone growth. His legs are bowing inward. God made all these parts of us to work and grow together. When they don't things start to go wrong.

We are working with him constantly. He rides one of our horses.

This is Pete on Princess.

He stands in the stander for an hour at a time for the stretch it gives his hamstrings. He sits in a stretcher we have for 30 to 45 minutes at a time. It is a stretcher martial artists often use to get their kicks higher. He rides his bike up and down the road. And he has a mom who seems to harp on him daily to straighten up as he walks.

It's exhausting but it is what he needs to do (because he can do it and if he stops he is going to lose the stretch he has).

But his walking is still not good. I want him to use a walker at school just in case. For a 13 year old this is a horrible thought.

The last few days I've been overwhelmed with this situation.

Big time.

Part of it is my past with losing our daughter Maggie two years ago. Part of it is already having one son in a wheelchair who needs total care. Part of it is me knowing if Pete embraces his need for movement he'll be okay and nothing will stop him in this life. But the biggest part of it is that I was worried, afraid for what was happening. I didn't consult God. I just let myself worry.

That's the anti-God behavior I was taking part in -- worrying. Worrying is so commonplace we don't realize how anti-God and anti-life it is. Worrying creates stress. Worrying can ruin a person's health (it was exhausting me). Worrying steals our peace and joy. That's why God hates worrying (and anything God has said no to is for this reason -- it takes from us, it makes us less than who He made us to be; and it comes between us and Him). That's why He says not to worry.

How is that even possible? It is possible. It is very possible. All things are possible in Christ Jesus. For if we trust in God no matter what, we know He will work things out and give us solutions or lead us in new ways. He always comes through.

So, I'm not going to worry any more about this. When a worrying thought pops into my mind I'll take that thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). It isn't God's will that we worry.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

I shouldn't wonder. I know better. I have been a Believer since March of 1988 and have seen God do miraculous things every year of my life since then (and He did miraculous things before that -- He does for everyone. It rains on the just and the unjust. He blesses the Believer and the nonbeliever...all good things are straight from Him).

I harvested some blue potatoes earlier this week. Most of them are pretty small. I only harvest a few just to see where they were at in their growth cycle. I knew it was too early but we've had some mighty cold weather lately. The ones I picked are baking in my oven right now and I can smell them. When you can smell what you are baking it is about done cooking.

If you ever wonder what the point is like I do just keep going forward. Keep doing what needs doing. Keep holding on when you want to let go. Keep getting out of bed and drinking in that morning air.

So that is what I'm going to do. I'm going to do what needs doing -- starting with getting those blue potatoes out of the oven.

And then I probably will go sit beside my 15 year old son and watch a show.

And then I will make some pork chops for the family and my husband with his broken wrist will soon walk through the door. And when he does I'll give him a hug and tell him I'm glad he's home.

And I may still wonder but then before I know it my head can hit the pillow and morning will come and God's mercies will be new again. Thank you Jesus.

We see what we want. We see what we don't want. We worry. We fret. We try to guard against our fears.

We plan. We fortify. We scheme. We try to work it all out.

And then it goes a whole different way than we expected. And we're knocked off the path we thought was right.

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Ah man, I look back on my life, the last ten years or so, and boy, I've made mistakes. I saw what I hoped for -- freelancing and working from home. And those are good things. There's nothing wrong with them. But a lot of what I tried was done out of fear or worry -- trying to figure out how to pay the bills.

And that isn't the way to go about anything -- out of fear or worry (same thing really).

We gotta approach life with faith and courage and strength and joy.

About 18 months ago I began a middle grade novel which I now call The Marvelous and Amazing Adventures of Ruthie and Marcie. My three kids -- Maggie, Pete and Megan -- would come home from school and want to hear the next chapter. So I'd oblige (plus it kept me writing. If I didn't have a chapter to read to them they weren't happy). We did this for a few months. They saw it completed too.

I began to think about submitting it to literary agents or publishers. I got it in the right format.

Since then I've written different things, draw and painted. My youngest child, Megan, would ask about Ruthie and Marcie, and I'd tell her they were put away for a while. I did submit it to a few literary agents in the month or so after Maggie died, and I even got a bite, but my heart wasn't in it.

A few weeks ago Ruthie and Marcie popped their heads back up, asked me if I was ready to hang out with them again. Here they are:

Ruthie is the taller one. Marcie is the one with glasses.

So, I got them out again and reread their story.

It is good, really good. Whimsical and funny.

And I realized I didn't agree with what the literary agent said.

So, I'm submitting again. I changed a bit on it but not too much.

And I will keep submitting until the right publisher says yes.

It is the right time now.

Will it get published?

I believe so.

When?

I have no idea.

But I'm submitting it because I know whoever finally picks it up will love it. And the kids who read it will be blessed big time.

We might have a bunch of things in our lives we want to happen. And that's great. But if that stuff we want to happen is keeping us from enjoying this moment we ought to look at it a bit closer. We can't get this moment back.

"'do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.'" Matthew 6:34a

"He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap." Ecclesiastes 11:4

Them Giants are watching.They're wanting to get you.Them Giants are hunting.They're planning to eat you.Them Giants are drooling.They're grasping you tight.

Them Giants are chomping.They're munching your bones!

That was a little Roald-Dahl-inspired poetry for you above!

And yes, it is a bit silly but it so so so fits what I'm studying these days.

Giants!

The above study is what I'm working with part of the time. I've had it for a while but never really got into it until yesterday.

"These four (giants) were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants." 2 Samuel 21:22The giants in our lives will multiply if we don't take defeat them.

Giants in your life may not appear as giants, but they are giants if you are focusing on them rather than God.

Some of the giants in our lives might have been present in our lives since before we were born. If this is the case we might not even notice them.

They are "how things are."

They are "just the way life is."

If you think this way about anything in your life, it might be a giant in disguise. I've got a few I just noticed. One of them is all the repairs and tasks that need doing on our place and on our house. It is overwhelming. And I look at it all and think it can't be done or I stress about it or I want to nag my husband to get some of it done....on and on and on I went. It was a giant dragging me by the nose. It drug me through the mud. It drug me through the muck. It covered me in filth and peace was nowhere to be found.

And then I saw it yesterday, saw it for what it was -- a nasty man-eating giant that came to destroy my days.

There might be a giant in your life that has been part of your family's history for generations. Just because no one has taken him on for centuries doesn't mean you can't.

Max Lucado writes, "David did what no one before him had even attempted."

In many families there is an atmosphere of lack. The families have always struggled with having enough. They've allowed this and its damaging mentality to dictate what they do and how they live in life. Children have grown up around this mentality so much that that is how life is supposed to be in their minds.

This is a giant, a giant of lack.

Now, I'm not saying God is going to make us all millionaires. He isn't. He needs people in every area of life.

But no matter how much or how little we have in way of material possessions and finances, it shouldn't define us. It shouldn't stop us from doing what we know we need to do for the Lord. When we let our circumstances limit God in our lives, then those circumstances have become more powerful than God for us.

Think about it. Ask God to show you the giants in your life that have been so good at being invisible.

And once you know what they are, start swinging that spiritual sword. It will slice right through them, absolutely destroy them forever.

This is where I want to go -- New Zealand! The very long plane ride would be uncomfortable but well worth it to feast on this beauty.

I'm exhausted today. I was exhausted yesterday. And when I think of all that needs to happen that I am supposed to be part of the next few weeks I get more exhausted.

But my husband reminded me I am not to do that. I am not to think about all the coming days and try to distribute my limited energy into future days.

Jesus tells us this too. He says in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself."

He was talking about providence but the same principal applies to energy.

Kay Arthur writes, "The welfare of sheep depends solely upon the care they get from their shepherd. Therefore, the better the shepherd, the healthier the sheep. When you see weak, sickly or pest-infested sheep, you can be sure that their shepherd really does not care for them."

I am one of Jesus' sheep. He is My Shepherd. If I am not looking cared for I might be a runaway sheep trying to deal with life without my Shepherd.

"Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:3

I've gotta let Him be my Shepherd and quit trying to do His job. My job is to be a contented sheep feasting on the green grass and clean quiet water He provides.

"And Jesus said to His disciples, 'Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'" Matthew 19:23-24

Let me qualify this post so no one misunderstands: there is nothing wrong with money and there is nothing wrong with being rich. Both are often used by God to do great things.That being said, let's get back to the passage. Why does Jesus say this about it being so dificult for a rich person to get into heaven?Because of the heart. When we desire to be rich, when we desire money, we are already falling into deception. Even if we are strong believers we can really mess up what God can do through us if we begin wishing and desiring money and riches. "the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." Matthew 13:22b"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all (the evils), and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang." 1 Timothy 6:9-10The desire for money or riches is not from God. If we act on a desire that isn't from God, we are going the wrong way. Desiring riches gets our eyes off what's important. Desiring money gets us living in our minds and in the future rather than in the present. I speak as one who knows what happens when you desire money. I have. There have been times in my marriage we have been so broke that I didn't know how we'd feed our kids, pay our bills, make it to the next day. Instead of using these times as getting my faith strengthened, I tried to figure out how to make money. This never worked for our family!Or, I'd try to figure out how to scrounge for money to buy food or whatnot. This just put us into debt. God was there all the time, and it wasn't like I wasn't praying. I just would pray, "God please provide" and then I'd try to figure it out on my own. Don't do anything just for the money.

I've finally learned. God is so good to continue to give us the same lesson over and over until we learn it. When we are in need we believe our Heavenly Father will take care of it. We do what He calls us to do and we wait on Him. Read the verse from Matthew 13 again (in blue). Worry also deceives. If you are like so many people, you will catch yourself worrying about money. Don't.It is that simple. Just don't worry about money ever. Don't worry about provision ever. Believe in God's great love and goodness and be content wiht where you are. It can be a bit scary, quite challenging but when you truly live it, it is freedom! Be free in Christ!!!

"Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,Cease from your consideration of it.When you set your eyes on it,it is gone.For wealth certainly makes itself wings,Like an eagle that flies towardthe heavens." Proverbs 23:4-5

"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:9

"But flee from these things (the desire to be rich), you (child) of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:11

We need to just stay teachable in all things, and especially in the area of money. Mammon is the one god Jesus warned us about. Wanting to be rich (which so many of us dream about...) is in itself a self-deception. I have myself thought, "If I win a million dollars I'll do such and such for God."

That kind of thought keeps us from serving others right now for God.

God is Our Provider period. We are to NEVER WORRY about finances. We are to Depend on Him fully.

If He has called us to something, He will provide for that something.

Giving to God in order to get from Him is not giving at all.

We are to give generously -- that is the only rule for giving in the New Testament. We reap what we sow.

Whatever we grasp tightly we will lose. OR, it will control us.

Does money or lack of money or abundance of money control you? Money is just a tool. Money is just a tool. It isn't a gateway to the good life. The good life is found in God and God alone.

"But when (Jesus) heard this, He said, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means, "I desire compassion, and not sacrifice," for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" Matthew 9:12-13

So, who are you?

The righteous or the sinner?

If you and I consider ourselves righteous we have no need for Jesus.

And since we all need Jesus, this would be the wrong move, the wrong kind of thinking.

Until this morning I never really put myself in this verse. Yet, this morning I woke up with a cloud over my head. A part of me wanted to start worrying (which is a sin) about an area in my life I had no answers for. I don't know how God will work it out. So, my flesh wants to fret and worry. My spirit tells me to believe and remember what God has done in the past.

But then I read the verses in Matthew 9 and realized when I am having this kind of inner battle I am exactly the one who Jesus has called -- the sinner, the worrier, the one who falls short.

Jesus doesn't condemn. He shows compassion and reminds me I can choose to believe.

What does this mean? Any thoughts? I wonder if it means that Paul and his dudes were walking more in the Spirit. There is something that happens (or is supposed to happen) to a Believer who earnestly seeks God all his days. He gets closer to God. God doesn't move. God is closer to us than our own breath (that's in Romans too). But, as we surrender more and more of ourselves we get more and more freedom to be who God has fashioned us to be.

And this is so wonderful. Truly.

I think I talked about this just a few days ago, but I feel like I need to mention this again. Is there an area in your life you are constantly worrying about? An area of your life that comes back again and again that you must struggle through?

This need not be. This area is an area where God wants to free you wholly. And I wonder if the area or areas we struggle with more than others is an area where God is going to use us big time and the enemy knows this. The enemy has been studying humans for thousands of years. He has seen all kinds of people. If he and our flesh can blind us to God's power in an area God wants to use us in, then everyone loses (especially us).

Maybe that area is meant to be an area of ministry for you. People are people and what you struggle with is something many others struggle with.

Since I'm on this tangent let me share two more verses I read this morning:

"Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand." 2 Chronicles 16:7-8

We miss out on opportunities to see God's power work in us. We miss out on opportunities to see God provide in such a miraculous name that we are speechless. I've been there. I know this can happen and will if we believe God fully, if we trust in His promises.

Who is Jane Hinrichs?

Jane is a wife, a mom, a writer, an artist, a lover of the Word of God. She has been studying the Bible since 1987 and has been writing about it almost since then. She loves to hear from her readers. Email her at:JaneHinrichs@mail.com